Thomas NEWLAND the son of Stephen John NEWLAND, (Tailor) & Sophia NEWLAND, (Nee CARTWRIGHT), (Tailoress), was born in London within the sound of bow bells in 1854. At a very early age he ran away from home and stowed away on a sailing ship spending several years at sea calling at different ports. Sailing on Shaw Savill's iron ship the `Avalanche' he arrived in Wellington, New Zealand in 1875. It was with two other sailors named ARCUS and HORNE that he jumped ship by climbing overboard and swimming to Kaiwharawhara. From there the three walked to Ngauranga and stayed in hiding for sometime. Thomas, remaining in the area got work with a Mr Walter FUTTER who owned and farmed most of the land in the district. Around the Newlands area there were many goats, and with the help of a Mr POMFREY, Thomas NEWLAND set up a small glue factory, (Newland & Pomfrey glue and oil manufacturing business). The horns and hooves were used for the making of glue and the goat skins cured. In 1879 at the Registrar's Office, Wellington, Thomas NEWLAND, aged 25, married Lucy LEWER, aged 18, daughter of Charles & Emma LEWER of Ohariu Valley. Lucy & Thomas's first home was situated in the area close to the factory and near the Hotel which then stood on the corner, under the hill, with the fort on top. During this time Stephen, Lily, Thomas Jnr, Hilda & Ada were born. The family lived there until about 1888 when Thomas sold his interest to his partner Mr POMFREY and commenced a similar enterprise at Petane near Napier in Hawkes Bay. Sadly it was at Petane on the 9th February 1889 after a family trip to town that Ada, aged thirteen months, was left with the other children on the doorstep for about five minutes, and went missing. While Thomas looked under the house, Lucy found little Ada in the river. Thomas jumped in and brought her out, but was unable to revive her. Arnold was born at Petane in September that same year and Alice the following year. By 1892 the Wellington Meat Export Company Works was opened at Ngauranga and Thomas was offered the position of managing the Fertiliser Dept at the high salary of four pound per week. Thomas accepted the position and the family moved back to Ngauranga to a house provided by the Company. This was situated on the hill just below the manager of the works, Mr Frank MOORE's house. Daisy, Edward, Mabel, Blanche, & Kenneth were born at Ngauranga between 1892-1900. In 1900 the Works was enlarged and the NEWLAND house had to be pulled down to make room for the expansions. Because of this the family moved to a house in nearby Petone where Thomas travelled by train to and from Ngauranga. The youngest NEWLAND children, Stanley, Gladys, & Leonard were all born at Petone near Wellington. Thomas in about 1910 transferred to The Wellington Farmers Meat and Manufacturing Company's new Waingawa Works near Masterton where he also held the position of Manure Manager. About four years later, Thomas after an illness of several weeks died at the Masterton Hospital on the 20th May 1914, aged 60. He was buried at the Masterton Cemetery. By this time most of the older children had married and left home. This left Lucy with five children under the age of fifteen with ages ranging from 7-14 years. Lucy died 16 years later at Petone near Wellington on 21st March 1930, aged 69 years. She was buried next to Thomas at the Masterton Cemetery, (Plan 2, Row 5, Plot LN).


Sources of information:
History of Newlands by Edward Newland,c.1972.(son of Thomas).
The Cyclopedia of New Zealand, Vol.1, 1897, pg. 816.
The Wairarapa Age, 21 May 1914, pg. 5, col.6.
Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington.(ref.993.1,p.90.)
Birth, Death & Marriage Certificates.
National Archives of NZ - Coroners Report, ref. J Cor 46 1889/133